<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Creation of Hecate by MeiHwa</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778747">Creation of Hecate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeiHwa/pseuds/MeiHwa'>MeiHwa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore, Iphigenia in Tauris - Euripides, TFTDC</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:20:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,204</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeiHwa/pseuds/MeiHwa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Retelling of the origin of Hecate based on many books, plays, and myths that are connected through mentions that are not mainstream.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Achilles/Iphigenia (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Agamemnon &amp; Iphigenia (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Artemis/Iphigenia (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Calchas/Iphigenia (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Castor/Pollux (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Clytemnestra &amp; Iphigenia (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Orestes/Pylades (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Origins, Tales from the Dark City</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Birth of Iphigeneia(Ἰφιγένεια)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So strong." whispered the sweating woman that had just given birth. She held her child in her arms as it wiggled to be free. "So strong, my little girl, my little Ἰφιγένεια."</p>
<p>"Let me have her, child." Clytemnestra told Helen as she reached out to take the baby. "You must rest."</p>
<p>"Sister," the young girl said at the verge of tears, "if anything should happen to me...."</p>
<p>"Shh, Helen, you know I would treat her as my own."</p>
<p>"Do not let our brother's torment her. It is not her fault."</p>
<p>"Castor and Pollux would do no such thing!" Clytemnestra said with such startled certainty. "Pray child, you are over wrought to think such things of your saviors. They will spoil her with love."</p>
<p>"No one will marry me now."</p>
<p>"You're the most beautiful of women, dear sister." She said taking the wriggling baby away from the girl who now was a woman. "Men have been asking for your hand long before..." She pause at the soft weeping from Helen. Clytemnestra's back stiffened. "None of that," she ordered as she rocked the baby, "We are strong women, daughters of the king. What Theseus did to you is nothing to cry over." Looking down at the baby, her face softened into a smile. "He gave you this beautiful child."</p>
<p>The girl so violently thrown into womanhood shook her head back and forth. "No... I'm too young to be a mother."</p>
<p>"A few years too young perhaps..."</p>
<p>"NO! I have no child. If I am to ever marry, I have no child." The baby let out a great cry and wailed on headless of Clytemnestra cooing. Helen leaned forward and gripped her sister's arm. "Please!"</p>
<p>This argument had come up between them through Helen's pregnancy. Clytemnestra had hoped that if Helen had held the baby in her arms would have brought some greater decision in her little sister; a favorable one. But it had not happened. Helen's kidnapping had been hidden as best as they could manage. The girl had been too young to marry but had been kept in hopes that they could hold her until she was of age. Sometime during her abduction she had crossed the line between child and woman. Whether she willingly or forcibly lost her virginity she would not say. The entire experience had been too much for the young girl. Once her twin brother's had rescued her and brought her back, they had secluded themselves away from the city's eyes for the duration of the pregnancy. All Helen had wanted was the respect that a marriage would bring her.</p>
<p>"No one will know. I will raise her as my own."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Appearance of Iphianassa (Ἰφιάνασσα) (part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>On the eve of her seventh birthday, Iphigeneia went to bed with sweet thoughts on her mind. Those sweet thoughts shifted as Hypnos visited her. He sat on the side of her bed shifting the mattress with his slight weight. She saw him there though her eyes were closed. Another man sat to her opposite side and the two men looked at each other over her reposed body. Hypnos she had seen at the edge of her sleep before, but never heard him speak or be addressed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come Cousin, just let the child know. I see so much of her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This caused Iphi to try and study the man though it was only with her minds eye. He was unfamiliar to her even if the man claimed otherwise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hypnos scowled at the other man. "Did you not learn your lesson, Cousin? You should not interfere with mortals."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A mortal freed me, Cousin, from that fate given to me by our own. All because I gave man a little spark."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Man didn't need fire."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Surely they did!" insisted Prometheus. "Come now, others do this for their favorites all the time. What is one more?" He brushed a lock of hair back from Iphi's forehead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I will allow her to choose." Hypnos conceded as he lifted a hand to Iphi's face. It looked like he brushed Prometheus's had away from her but in fact he lifted the girl's eyelids to see. She remained in a state that was not sleep nor awake. Hypnos stilled his hand over her forehead as he looked into her eyes. "She sees us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course she sees us, cousin. You opened her eyes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A 'hmph' and a sideways glance at Prometheus showed Hypnos's disbelief. "Me thinks she saw before that. Me thinks you show her too much."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing that is not know." Said Prometheus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"By you..." he sighed and straitened. He smiled a parental smile and drew Iphi's attention to him. "Child, would you like a gift?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Iphi moved her lips in a small response. "A birth day gift?" It was no more than a muttering in her sleep. "Yes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Gifts are not free," said Prometheus. "All have a price." When his eyes looked to Hypnos, they showed that he was willing to pay the price.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes... but it’s my birth day."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hypnos smiled at the innocence of her thoughts and regretted his offer. "Just answer a riddle and you will get your gift."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I like riddles," Iphi whispered and smiled in her sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both men nodded and each pointed to a different door that appeared in her mind. It was as if her room opened up past her bed. The wall was farther away and made of a different type of stone. The two doorways stood close together with a sentinel in front of each. They were identical black winged daemons and the gateways were of two different materials: ivory and horn. The two daemons looked back at Iphi with steady eyes. Suddenly Iphi felt she was standing in front of the gates. Hypnos's voice lulled her and soothed her even as the riddle puzzled her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I tell you true. Look at these two. One will lie to you. One will speak true.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ask only one. The other will shun. An answer is won. A question to one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Look to the door. From land and shore. Living no more. See the other door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Startled by sounds. Chased by the hounds. Hunted and downed. Such sweet sounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Each holds dreams. Different each seems. Clear as the streams. True and False dreams.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Only one can you choose. One you shall use. The other you will loose. Which will you choose?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Iphi looked at the ivory doorway and the horn doorway pondering which one held the true dreams and which held the false dreams. She studied both daemons not seeing any difference between the two. Either one of them could lie; Either one could tell the truth; and she only had one question. It had to be just right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Daemon before the ivory gate," she addressed one of them, "will the daemon before the horn gate tell me your door holds true dreams?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The daemon turned his head to look at the other daemon who mirrored his movements. When he turned back he said only, "Yes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Then the Horn gate holds true dreams." declared Iphi happily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one told her if she was right or wrong, but Hypnos asked her another question. "Which door would you like your dreams to come from. Choose the ivory gate or the horn gate. Knowing your dreams are true or false... that is your gift."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Appearance of Iphianassa (Ἰφιάνασσα) (part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Iphi pointed to the horned gate without ever realizing how it would affect the rest of her life. No longer would she long to go to sleep. No longer would she look forward to letting her mind drift off into the world of dreams. After what she saw, she would never wish to dream again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A flood of visions bombard the child's mind. The true past, the present and the future are revealed to her in a mass of bloody murders. Like any child caught in a nightmare, she tried to cling to the few familiar faces in hopes to be lifted out of the horror she dreamed. When she clung to the vision of her mother, it twisted into vicious carnage of her mother killing her father with an axe. Trying to see her father alive and well instead of a mass of blood and gore brought the sight of him in a mighty battle slaughtering man after man. Iphi blindly spins through her thoughts, so twisted by the visions that tears streamed down her face and sobs escaped her sleeping form. She grasps blindly for the vision of her baby brother, Orestes , only to catch the air as he surges forward, a full grown man, attacking her mother and the man she sleeps with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She awoke and drew people into her room with the terror of her screaming. They arrived in time to rescue her eyes before Iphi had the chance to tear them out. Still, she clawed towards her face wishing to remove the visions that still played on the backs of her eyelids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Iphigeneia! Iphigeneia, listen to me! you must stop. Tell me what's wrong" Her mother, Clytemnestra, commanded helplessly. "Iphigeneia!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The child suddenly became still and quiet. Her hand folded neatly in her lap as she allowed the nursemaid to treat the scratches on her face. Oblivious to her mother's crying her own name, Clytemnestra shook the girl lightly. "Iphigeneia..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and looked at Clymtemnestra with disdain for being shaken and shrugged  her mother's hands off, saying, "Iphianassa... my name is Iphianassa."</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Appearance of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια)  (part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"She is my sacrifice!" Artemis shouted her furry to her father as he judged Iphianassa's fate.</p><p>"The armies of Agamemnon and Menelaus wait to sail to Troy. They must have wind again," came from the messenger of the sea king, Poseidon. The earth-shaker had sent the emissary to try and save his grandchild and still start the war. "There is no need to sacrifice her," Hera continued to watch the tragedies the young girl had seen and went through as his brother's messenger spoke again. "She is the child of Theseus and Helen."</p><p>
  <span>Zeus looked down on the world from their lofty realm above the humans. "Is she now?" The mighty thunder titan turned to his wife Hera to gage her mood over the news. Already she was using her all-seeing eye to view the past of the girl. Always the nose bitch she was, tracking him down, tormenting all his consorts and their children. Ever since Eris tossed that apple into the wedding party, Hera disliked Helen. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite tempted Paris, the judge Zeus picked, to choose who among them was the most beautiful. Better Paris than himself. Aphrodite used the best temptation. Little Helen continued to stir up trouble just by being as beautiful as she was.</span>
</p><p>He watched the flickering images Hera pulled into view. The goddess took in the sacrificial girl's entire life. The visions slowed and played through a scene of a young woman confronting Helen, barely an age difference noticeable between them. It was a scene of obvious discord, Helen denying the birth of the younger girl. While Iphi begged to go with her mother, Helen prepared to go to her husband to be, King Menelaus of Sparta. Zeus frowned at the insensitive actions of the mother to daughter, for the first time taking a side other than Helen's. Zeus recognized the way his wife's eyes tightened, and knew she chose sides as well.</p><p>"Agamemnon is her father! Or so I thought when he arrogantly boasted his hunting skills, treading on my property and killing what was mine." Artemis grumbled to her father. "It was in my right to claim a sacrifice for his mistake.  He offered to give me the life of his daughter. How was I to know he only offered because he knew she wasn't his." She hung on her father's arm. "Her blood was promised to me."</p><p>"So be it..." Zeus said taking her chin in his hands.  "As long as the promise is returned to her."</p><p>Artemis tried to pull back and look into his eyes, "You can't mean..."</p><p>"I do." he said simply and smiled. "She is your niece. Take pity on her. The house of Atreus is doomed. Let her not share the same fate. Have some sorrow at her death. Our blood is already there.  Take as you wish now and return it later. Awaken her for me."</p><p>Head bowed, she said, "As you wish."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Appearance of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια) (part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The seer, Calchas, had an echo in his voice as Artemis spoke through him. "Bring the woman known as Iphianassa to the cliff above the bay, strap her to the bolder overlooking the sea for sacrifice at first starlight."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Agamemnon ground his teeth together; noticing the oracle no longer said his daughter. The problem with the wind not blowing and holding the fleet from sailing were falling on his head. Melenaus, his brother, was against sacrificing his niece at first. As time passed on and they stayed stuck in port, his brother became more urgent to recover Helen. It was best that Melenaus did not know Iphi was Helen's daughter. However, it was inevitable that this ongoing deceit would be known. He only hoped it would be after the girl was dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl had been his favorite until the day after her 7th birthday when she came to him with an eerie intelligence in her eyes and told him she wasn't his daughter. He sent her to serve in the temples after that. Agamemnon though that would be the last he would have to worry about her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fate of course had other plans that continued to bring the girl back into his life. She had started to send him messages asking when he would choose a husband for her. Those changed to something more ominous when she told him whom he would choose for her. He had yet to speak to either of them about a match when he accidentally... perhaps arrogantly, hunted in the wrong place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The long awaited letter sent to his wife and daughter told hem to join him. It was accepted by the two women without question. It was a lie he must live with. Achilles wouldn't even have to know he was the pivotal point in the fleet leaving the bay. Iphianassa would be dead before the undefeated warrior knew of the false betrothal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or so he thought.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Appearance of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια) (part 3)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A pact was made between all of Helen's suitors before her husband was chosen. That solemn oath was to defend the chosen husband against whoever should quarrel with him. When word of Helen's kidnapping was spread, her suitors came to Melenaus's aid. Aulis was the place of gathering where they would launch their armies into the sea for the journey to Troy.  With the air not blowing, the armies sat and waited. Waiting warriors have few things to keep their mind off waiting: one is sparring and the other is women.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ho!" Patroclus called out to stop the sparing match with his good friend and comrade at arms.  Two women walked down the road towards the waiting armies. "Who's that pretty young thing, Achilles? I haven't seen her before."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nor I, Patroclus."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's a disturbing one. Looks right through a man's soul," he said giving a false shiver before he laughed. Others watching the match added to his laughter even if they all sounded a bit forced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes then found Achilles and she smiled, softening the serious look on her face. "I think she just sees through your posing, men," Achilles punched Patroclus in the stomach to prove how tensed he was. More laughter ensued for they all knew the truth in Achilles words. As he ran a hand over his head to smooth out his hair, he boasted, "She knows a true man when she sees one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was envy around the 15 year old commander. For one at such a young age to lead so many was not so odd, especially since he'd proven himself so worthy. It was easy to see the gods blessed him just by looking at his handsome visage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"May the gods bless you, ladies, this day," one called out in greeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who do you belong to, gentle ladies?" Achilles asked in a voice of honey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I belong to the temple until my husband to be claims me," called back the younger woman quite cheekily. She was a mere 14 years of age. The woman beside her was over a decade older, even if she didn't look it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why I believe that's Agamemnon little Iphigeneia, all grown up, beside his beloved wife, Clytemnestra: twin to she who we fight for." Recognition moved through the gathered men like a wave that bobbed the warriors' heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls chin came up. "My name is Iphianassa."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who is your husband to be, sweet lady?" Achilles asked with a light in his eyes, enjoying the girl's spunk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A seer's look clouded the girl's eyes as she stared sightlessly through the men. Iphi continued to walk towards them and Clytemnestra held on to her arms to steady her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It can not be.<br/>
He doesn't know me?<br/>
Two meant to be<br/>
husband and wife, we.<br/>
Where I must be?<br/>
The rock over the sea.<br/>
There I must be,<br/>
draped over the lee.<br/>
Who's chosen to be?<br/>
That will be the key."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The path before her opened as she moved. Even Achilles and Patroclus, who felt they were in her path, stepped aside when faced with the god-touched girl. Achilles followed her line of sight until he saw the cliff. When he turned back to say, "An altar to Artemis rests there," he only made it half way through his sentence before Iphi closed her  cleared eyes and collapsed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clytemnestra gave a shout, of "Iphi!" and tried to hold her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Achilles caught the passed out girl and lowered her gently to rest on his knee. Whispers started around them; many in fear. The young commander was more familiar with seers and Gods than many of them. His mother saw to that. He wasn't afraid of the Gods… and he wasn't afraid of a mere slip of a girl. Hefting her up into his arms, he turned to Clytemnestra. "I can take you to your husband's tent."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Death of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια) (part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Night had fallen and the moon was high in the sky. It was Artemis time. Her sacrifice  waited for her stretched over the stone altar at the cliff over the sea. The cries of her mother, Clytemnestra, could be heard as she was restrained by Achilles nearby. Agamemnon stood in the forefront asking for Iphi to be accepted as a willing sacrifice. </p><p>Calchas whispered the words to say to draw the goddess down to them. The girl lay tied down on the stone as if in a deep sleep.</p><p>And the dreams had a strong hold on her. Her eyes fluttered under their lids with the heavy activity of dreaming. The girl dreamed of blood. Her throat torn out not by a blade sacrifice but by a monstrous mouth taking her last heartbeat from her. She awoke with a gasp of breath that had ceased her breathing in the living world. A pant came out of her as she caught her breath and spoke</p><p>“Iphianassa does not accept this cruel fate and the falsehoods that lead her here. She has left this world already” there was no struggle from the sacrifice even though her first words indicated an unwillingness to continue. “Iphimedeia, however,” the girl went on staring up at the moon high above her head and beaming down on her pale grey skin. “I, Iphimedeia, already wait at the entrance to the underworld. End this so I may enter.”</p><p>The moon seemed large to her coming down to bath her it it's cool light. From the gasps of others around her, she guessed they saw it as well.</p><p>“THE MOON!” shouted Calchas. “She comes!”</p><p>The glow of the moon formed into a figure at the altar. Arms reached outwards as if daring anyone to come and stop her from taking what was rightfully hers.</p><p>“It's Diana!” One soldier shouted before prostrating himself on the ground. </p><p>“Roman fool!” Shouted another. “Do you not know Artemis?”</p><p>The entire waiting army was divided on what they saw: the goddess Diana or Artemis. Iphimedeia, Achilles and Calchas were only ones to see both goddesses at once.</p><p>Agamemnon saw only Artemis who was there for his daughter. “Take this girl, the daughter you asked for and set out ships free to sail.” He held his head high even if tears stung his eyes. “You asked for her, not my life.”</p><p>Achilles braved a step forward, willing to risk a goddess's wrath easily enough. He would have done much for the girl tricked by a promise of marriage to him. “Sweet goddess,” he said knowing it was the safest way to address this one with two inside. “If her death is not what you seek, then do not take her life into the king of the underworld's hands.” Pausing a moment he realized a way to perhaps extend the girl's life. “Take her life in a fashion more suited to your needs. She is a powerful girl suited for the life of a priestess. Take her life as your good and faithful servant.”</p><p>The girl's father paled in fear and hope. “A sacrifice must be made. The ships must be freed.”</p><p>“Is losing a daughter not a sacrifice?” Achilles asked of everyone. His eyes fell on the girl's mother. “A mother knows the loss when losing a child: be it in death or marriage. Marriage to a man or goddess is still death in the eyes of her parents. She is no longer their sweet little girl.”</p><p>The bright goddess never lost her light, but she did look down at the girl, considering the young commander's words. She was a beautifly girl even if her beauty didn't compare to Artemis's. She touched the girls throat, running the tips of her fingers down its long graceful curve before wrapping around Iphi's neck. Her glow enveloped the girl, blocked most eyes from seeing. </p><p>Iphi looked up and saw her with clear eyes lacking fear. Death was there, dwelling in their depths. Artemis leaned in closer and sunk her teeth into the girl's neck, drawing in her sweet blood and leaving only a drop on the stone. She swept the girl up in her arms and flew from the cliff, <span>a deer in her place for sacrifice.</span></p><p>It was the last known sighting of the daughter of Clymestra and Agamennon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Death of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια) (part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The wind brushed her skin and tugged her clothes. Iphi's eyes fluttered and caught sight of the vision of beauty holding her. Cradled like a child, the strong, almost Amazonian arms of Artemis held her weight with ease. Artemis strolled through her domain of the night sky as easily as Iphi used to do in her garden. Tuffs of mist stirred up with each step as Artemis walked on the clouds. The sea scented the air as well, making Iphi believe they were near or over the briny depths. </p>
<p>"You are no longer under a man's thumb," the deep voice of the goddess explained. "They can no longer use you as a pawn in their plays of power. You were pledged to a temple before the man you called father tricked you to walk into your own sacrifice with the promise of a husband."</p>
<p>"He was not my true father," was Iphimedeia's hollow reply.</p>
<p>"Such is the way of man. They are not to be trusted! Say one thing, promise another and act on neither."</p>
<p>"I was promised a husband."</p>
<p>"You were promised a marriage, which you have." </p>
<p>She remembered Achillies's words and his plea for Iphi's life. "A marriage to your temple?" This she could be satisfied with. Her training had been useful to her future as she had dreamed. </p>
<p>A warm kiss was pressed to her brow, bringing Iphi's attention back to the goddess. Her pail skin glowed in the moonlight. Red painted her lips and Ihpi reached up to see if the color was painted there by some cosmetic, her blood, or just naturally a deep crimson. Her blood… she remembered being bitten and her hand drew back down to feel her own neck. It was still intact.</p>
<p>A kiss was then pressed to her lips. It was not a kiss to be compared to her mother or father's kiss. It lingered and then hovered over her own lips before asking. "Would a marriage to me not be better than to some strange man?"</p>
<p>Iphi nodded and reconnected their lips in a show of acceptance and agreement.</p>
<p>Artemis was the first to pull away with a soft sigh. "Rest, sleep if you can. I will take you far away from Greece, Troy, Rome and their wars. Would you like a song to make you forget the past and hope for a bright future?"</p>
<p>Iphi smiled and nodded, resting her head on Artemis's shoulder. She listened to the soft sonorous sounds as long as she could. Soon she visited her cousin in ther dream world before her nightly dose of reality visited her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Death of Iphimedeia (Ἰφιμέδεια) (part 3)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The cool night air brushed over the damp skin of her neck. Heat rose from her body as passionate hunger filled her, offsetting the cool night air. The flickering tongue on her skin scorched her with heat before the night cooled and soothed away the fever. Strong hands ran up from her waist to lightly brush over her nipple. She was fascinated by the varying sensations of oversensitive areas next to smooth skin. There was a fine line between the pleasurable squeeze and the where she would cry out in discomfort. That discomfort was not painful but it was unbearable as if she would burst. At her cry the tongue bathed her neck in an apology and the hand relented it’s torturous pleasure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fingers trailed around her nipples, circling outwards and feeling over the changing textures of her skin. Spiraling all the way out until they tickled under her breast, bringing out a smile to her face and Diana’s. Iphi could see her out of the corner of her eye, feeling Diana spooned against her back. Lightly brushing up and down over her abdomen, the fingertips drew closer and closer to the ache between her legs. Each brush downwards sent little chills through her that had nothing to do with the cool night air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iphimedeia’s eye looked out  before here and found the archway to the temple. The horned stag stared back at her. The cool slab of the altar was beneath them. Diana’s fingers reached their destination, making Iphi instinctively relax her legs. They spread apart allowing the delicate touch to slide along each side of her opening. Brushing up and down over the surface made her buck against the hand, which covered and pressed over her center to still her movement. She throbbed inside not knowing what she wanted. When the hand slid up, Iphi grabbed her wrist, fearing the pleasure might stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet, my sweet.” Diana whispered in her ear. The tip of her tongue ran along the ridgeline much like her mother had done to sooth her as a child. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fingers shifted again, this time gripping the petals of her womanhood between and Diana rolled her fingers against the sensitive area underneath through the protective outer lips. Pleasure made Iphi gasp and shoot her eyes to heaven. Dark, starry sky stretched out above them. The constellations she knew were not there or faced the wrong way. Something was building inside her, a pressure she couldn’t fathom. Diana’s lips rubbed back and forth over her neck and Iphi let her head drop to one side, baring more skin for Diana to torture with pleasure. Panting gasps were escaping Iphi as Diana’s finger quickened over her skin. Lips against her neck widened until teeth grazed her skin just as the fingers widened and stretched the skin back from the nub between them. Diana struck, sinking her teeth into Iphimedeia’s neck as her second hand moved to Iphi’s hot center and pressed the overly sensitive skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iphi’s hips bucked under the pleasure but Diana held on tightly to her neck, sucking and drinking from the moisture on her skin. She quaked above the Goddess until waves suddenly hit her. Inside, her body pulsed and thrummed. The heat that threatened to engulf her release like a fever breaking and she could feel the cool night air again. Diana’s fingers slowly pulled and rubbed the lovely liquid, spreading her release over her skin and soothing the burning flesh. Then two fingers sunk deep into her opening, pulling another cry from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was pain. A burning that the pleasure couldn’t quite cover up. She felt torn and could smell her own blood. The fingers curved and rubbed over her rough insides gently and the pain slowly began to fade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The waves and pulsing pleasure had stilled. Her heart regained its usual pace. Was this just her passion cooling and her body getting its turn to relax and recover? When she was young, she would run as fast as she could to the temple until it felt like her heart and body would burst. The moment she reached her goal, the heat of excitement would leave her and her racing heart would calm down. Restlessness began to creep into her subconscious. Something was wrong. She felt her own heartbeat slowing down past that satisfied state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A weak hand lifted, sluggish and weighted like she was under too many blankets that were soaked with water. She reached blindly up and found the soft scented hair of the Goddess that was still attached to her neck. Her hand was gently taken and pulled until it rested against the Goddesses ear. Strong fingers wrapped around her wrist, holding her in place. The fingertips pressed into her skin right over her pulse. Iphi could feel each pulse and how the space in between beats grew longer and longer. She could no longer hear the soft sounds of the night insects or waves crashing on the shore of their island. Only the pulse was there in her ears, fading, slowing, until that last beat and there was no more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iphimedeia opened her eyes to see the bright blue sky above her where she slept on the altar in her dream. The stag on the archway looked blindly forward with its marble eyes. Hesitantly, Iphi lifted her hand that was no longer feeling weighed down to her neck. Her fingers ran over the smooth unmarked surface and knew that she had been asleep moments before. Hypnos visited her every year on her birthday to talk to her and let her have a night of rest without dreams. He answered her questions, if he could. One had always been about dreaming of her death. Hypnos had told her if she died in her sleep, she would die in real life. As a child, she expected that to mean she wouldn’t wake up from her dream. The birds chirped around her with their cheerful songs, the crashing waves of the sea continued with their endless melody and the shining sun promised a warm day. Death didn’t seem too bad</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>